In 1939, FDR visits the St. Louis World's Fair and visits a booth where they demonstrate the new medium of television. The manager of the booth suggests FDR could have speeches and documentaries on television. Hitler had been using film and television very effectively, and FDR could do the same. FDR accepts the idea, and does a few speeches which are broadcast in a very limited market.
His speeches are also shown in theaters with the MovieTone Newsreels. The last of his TV broadcasts is in early April, 1945. After a few months, Harry Truman starts regular weekly addresses, shown at 7pm on Sunday evenings on the MovieTone Network. The Vice-President is often the "guest-host" of the program.
This is where the butterflies really start flapping and shifting the course of history. Strom Thurmond is a guest on the program and becomes a presidential candidate who might throw the election. A racist southern governor is on the show and loses his temper, momentarily forgetting it's a live broadcast. A popular physicist is on the show and recommends a space program--depending on what he says about flying to the moon, the space program might start years earlier or years later. Norman Rockwell is on the program and does for kids' interest in art what NASA did for kids' interest in science. When a Pope visits the US, would he take the time for a TV interview? Would European royalty? Would the king of the Pacific island of Tonga appear? Would the king of Tonga sway the course of history?
The Bay of Pigs might be either more successful, or cancelled altogether.
Whoever is President, might persuade Khruschev to appear on the show.
Other government officials appear on the show, making the show like a propaganda arm of the US government, but that idea is unpopular, and doesn't last long. Wealthy and powerful business people appear on the show, and that effort at propaganda works more, but there are many other news programs with investigative journalists working day and night.
When the 1968 Democratic National Convention comes along, the President or VP might use his talk show as a forum to calm things down. Or he might have the opposite effect.
In 1972, with a scandal looming, the President uses his talk show to sling mud at his opponents and it backfires; he loses the election.
Four years later, the new President is running for re-election, and he and his opponent are both nice, popular guys; the President has his opponent on as a guest, and how does that affect the election?
OTL, Bill and Hilary once did a video satirizing their critics; they pretended to be an ordinary couple, discussing the president's health care plan. ATL, the presidents might use a segment of the talk show for informative skits, satire, or short documentaries.
His speeches are also shown in theaters with the MovieTone Newsreels. The last of his TV broadcasts is in early April, 1945. After a few months, Harry Truman starts regular weekly addresses, shown at 7pm on Sunday evenings on the MovieTone Network. The Vice-President is often the "guest-host" of the program.
This is where the butterflies really start flapping and shifting the course of history. Strom Thurmond is a guest on the program and becomes a presidential candidate who might throw the election. A racist southern governor is on the show and loses his temper, momentarily forgetting it's a live broadcast. A popular physicist is on the show and recommends a space program--depending on what he says about flying to the moon, the space program might start years earlier or years later. Norman Rockwell is on the program and does for kids' interest in art what NASA did for kids' interest in science. When a Pope visits the US, would he take the time for a TV interview? Would European royalty? Would the king of the Pacific island of Tonga appear? Would the king of Tonga sway the course of history?
The Bay of Pigs might be either more successful, or cancelled altogether.
Whoever is President, might persuade Khruschev to appear on the show.
Other government officials appear on the show, making the show like a propaganda arm of the US government, but that idea is unpopular, and doesn't last long. Wealthy and powerful business people appear on the show, and that effort at propaganda works more, but there are many other news programs with investigative journalists working day and night.
When the 1968 Democratic National Convention comes along, the President or VP might use his talk show as a forum to calm things down. Or he might have the opposite effect.
In 1972, with a scandal looming, the President uses his talk show to sling mud at his opponents and it backfires; he loses the election.
Four years later, the new President is running for re-election, and he and his opponent are both nice, popular guys; the President has his opponent on as a guest, and how does that affect the election?
OTL, Bill and Hilary once did a video satirizing their critics; they pretended to be an ordinary couple, discussing the president's health care plan. ATL, the presidents might use a segment of the talk show for informative skits, satire, or short documentaries.
